Wesley J. Smith

Upon entering my former church, the first things one noticed were ten framed photographs displayed in a line on the opposite wall. They were all of white men in clerical collars, displayed to honor every reverend who had pastored the parish since its founding in 1887. I always found it interesting to see the societal transitions reflected in the photos… . Continue Reading »

When the Supreme Court upheld the Affordable Care Act, relieved supporters happily looked forward to implementing the law over the next several years, while infuriated opponents vowed to repeal the law, even as some states refuse to implement its Medicaid and other provisions. Whatever happens to . . . . Continue Reading »

I happened to be in London when the Church of England voted to reject female bishops. The verdict came as quite a surprise. Women have been ordained as priests in the Church for twenty years, and allowing them to become bishops would certainly seem to be the next logical step. Twelve years of negotiations between “reformers” and “traditionalists””apparently a way of life in the C of E”had culminated in a compromise under which dissenting parishes not wanting to be under the authority of a female primate could request hierarchal supervision by a male… . Continue Reading »

My funk on election night was deepened by an email from a younger, liberal friend. Conservatives lost, she told me sternly, because they have become badly “tarnished” with “Latinos, young people, Asians, single women,” and “all key demos for the next twenty years.” Her blunt warning: “Fix that or keep losing.” … Continue Reading »

Massachusetts voters have  held the culture of death at bay  for at least a little while longer in the USA, depriving backers of assisted suicide with an Eastern Front from which to spread the poison. It’s a good result that I don’t think could be duplicated in Europe. Much can . . . . Continue Reading »

This Tuesday, Massachusetts voters will decide whether to legalize assisted suicide, an agenda against which I have advocated energetically since 1993. During much of that time, I often asked myself the “why now?” question: Two hundred years ago, when far more people died in agony, few argued on behalf of mercy killing. Yet today”a time in which medical science can substantially alleviate most pain and end-of-life care works miracles of palliation”the notion that a “good death” comes from committing suicide resonates with large swaths of the public… . Continue Reading »

First there were “animal rights.” Now, the next logical step is being taken by increasingly mainstream environmental radicals. Watch out: Here come “nature rights.” Doubt anyone would pass laws actually giving “rights” to “nature?” They are already being enacted: New Zealand has granted the Whanganui River the rights of “personhood,” declaring it to be an “integrated, living whole” possessing “rights and interests” … Continue Reading »

Not too long ago, the ethics of medicine were pretty straightforward. Inspired by the Hippocratic Oath, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and other medical professionals generally followed the “do no harm” maxim, seeing themselves (ideally) as duty-bound to protect and preserve all human life… . Continue Reading »

Update: There remain a few lingering tech issues over at NRO that need to be resolved before the new blog goes live.  As soon as they are solved, we will do a redirect so that anyone who comes here, will automatically be sent there.  Thanks for all the kind words I have received.  . . . . Continue Reading »

This better not be true: A lawsuit filed in Manhattan accuses an organ collecting organization of pressuring doctors to declare dead and harvest.  From the New York Post story:The New York Organ Donor Network pressured hospital staffers to declare patients brain dead so their body parts could . . . . Continue Reading »